title: Patients with advanced Parkinson's disease with and without freezing of gait: a comparative analysis of vascular lesions using brain MRI.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Freezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most disabling and enigmatic symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Vascular lesions, observed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, may produce or exacerbate this symptom.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study includes 22 patients with Parkinson's disease subjects, 12 with freezing of gait and 10 without. All patients underwent an MRI scan and any vascular lesions were analysed using the modified Fazekas scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with FOG scored higher on the modified Fazekas scale than the rest of the group. Although the two groups contained the same percentage of patients with vascular lesions (50% in both groups), lesion load was higher in the group of patients with FOG. Vascular lesions in the periventricular area and deep white matter seem to be the most involved in the development of FOG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vascular lesions may contribute to the onset or worsening of FOG in patients with PD. This study suggests that cerebral vascular disease should be considered in patients with FOG.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España. Electronic address: mariajogallardo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Torrero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ibañez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaamonde
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Congelación de la marcha; Enfermedad de Parkinson; Escala de Fazekas; Fazekas scale; Freezing of gait; Lesiones vasculares cerebrales; Parkinson's disease; Vascular lesions